Device for maintaining a uniform quantity of oil in the crank case of an automobile



May 22, 1928.

E. A. ROGERS DEVICE FOR MAINTAINING A UNIFORM QUANTITY OF OIL IN THE CRANKCASE OF AN AUTOMOBILE Filed Oct. 4, 1927 i E g H. Ill/Il l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY. Y

Patented Ma 22,1928.

v EUGENE A. means, or TAKOMA iE'ARIK, MARY AND.

lnnvxcta Eon MAINTAINING A UNIFORM ouANrrrY oE OIL 1N .AUromoBILE.

THE CRANK CASE oEa .Application filed October 4, 1927. Serial mm.

' produce, in-afstructure of this character,

means for preventing .the supplying of a surplus quantity of' lubricating oil to the crank case, thus avoiding deleterious effects, such-as fouling of the spark plugs, as is common. with thist-ype of device.v when the automobile upon which'it is applied is upon a hill orqis in inclined, position, all as will be hereinaftermore particularly described andclaimedL i i. Referring to thedravvings, in which like leference'. characters indicate similar parts --'-".Fig. -1 is a fragmentary. top plan view of an automobile-pillustrating the application oflmy invention. v I v 2 7 Fig. 2, afragmentary; front elevation. of

an automobile motor having my device applied thereto.

Fig. v3; a longitudinal sectionthrough an auxiliary tank for containing lubricating oil. Fig. 4. a central.vert-ical'sectionpf acasing having afloat-controlled valve for regulating thequanjtit-yof lubricating oil supplied to the crank-caseand A 7. Fig. 5, a central vertical-section d a .casas ing having a -float-controlledvalve for regnlating thesupply} of air ,to the auxiliary oil tank shown in Fig. 3.

;.In. the. drawings reference character' 10 indicates a conventional-type of automobile having a motorll and a crank case 12. A5 'is-wellknown, the-'iworking-parts of the motoriof an automobile are often i njured on account ofexcessive heat generated by friction when-theamount of oil -in the crank case getstoo loW-gand the efliciency ofthe motor is also impaired by a Wide variation in the} amounts of oil used. I, therefore, provide au -auxiliary lubricating oil tank 13 for-.containing'an extra supply of oil and connect the same by -means of pipes 14 and 15 and an interposed-valve casing 16 with the crank case 12. Oil may flow from the auxiliary tank 13 through the last mentioned elements into the crankcase.

,55' The valve casingj16 is provided with chambersl'iand '18 separated Web 19,-

the chamber 17 being in direct communication With the inlet pipe'14 and-being adapt ed'to receive oil-directlytherefrom, and the chamber 18 being; in directcom munication with the'discharge pipcj15: and being adapted to permit oil to pass directly thereinto. A beveled opening orvalvepassage 20 is providedin the Web 19, and a valve 2 1fis provided for cl'osingsaid opening,fsaid valve bemg pivoted on a lever 22 mounted onv a P 23-Q,

The valve casing '16 is also provided with a float chamber 24 into which projects the endof the lever. 22, opposite the valve 21, and upon which end isf'pivotally mounted a float 25, nuts 25' being'threaded upon the stem of the float for varying the position ofthe float. The bottom ofthe float chamber 24:.is connected by means of-a pipe 26 with the bottom of the crank case l2 and oil entering the .float chamber 'from the crank casewill operate the floatand control the valve 21. A small passage 27 in which a the pivot 23 is located permits air to pass from the .upperpart ofthe float chamber through the chamber .18 and pipe 15 into 9 the crank case Whenoil from the crank case passes into the chamber 24. From the foregoing it will be readily understood. thatfthclevel of oil inthe crank casej will govern the operation ofthe float- 25 Which controls the valve 21Ya'nd :supplygof oil from the auxiliary tank 13 tothe crank case The mechanism just described Will only operate satisfactorily as long as the automo bile is .on level roadway or Whenv running up hill. but When running down, hill the oil in the crank caseavill rush to the front of the crankcase and cause an excessive amount ofoil tobe fed from'the auxiliary tank intothecrank case- In order to overcome this difficulty I have providedmeans for controlling the: outlet of oil from the auxiliary reservoir, or v oil tank 13, said means comprising a control forthe airvent or inlet to the auxiliary oil: tank I I In order to perform the foregoing tlt'unction, I provide a floatchamber-28 connected by -means of a pipe 29 with the bottom of the crank case 12 adjacent the front end of the same, said chamberhaving anair vent 2 8.. JA small'air pipe 30 connects said float chamber28 .withthe auxiliary oil tank and a needle valve 31 is controlled by a T crank case is lowered, asyin descending a hill, the float will rise and cause the valve 311: close the passage 'through the pipeBO,

trolled passage. for air between saidtank -and the other end of the crank case; adapted The'stem ofthe' floatis also threaded. and

provided with nuts 32." for permitting ad jus tment of the float.

- It will be' obvious to In order to prevent oil from entering the pipe 30, a ball valve 33isrovided, as shown ,invFig. 3,-.at the point 0 eonnection of the pipe with thedt'ank 13.1 [Oil may be 'poured into the tank 13 through an inlet} inthe topof thetank closed by a cap 34'. A sight glass 35 is providedlat'the opposite end of the tank 13- for permitting the quantity of lubricant in "the tanki to be observed.

A second safety glass 36 is carried "by a.

cap 37, in order to prevent oil from "getting into the automobile if the glass 35fshould become broken. Anfadded precaution com;

prises ainetal guard 38 arranged over the" "inner side ofthe sight glass 35, said r'net'al guard being provided with oneor morearc ua te slots 39 at its-lower edge. The cap 37 is adaptedfitoproject through the instrument'bo'ard of the automobile and fs'erves to clamp the tank thereto.

I I those skilled the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention; and I, therefore,-d0 not limit myself toiwhatis shown in 'the'drawings', but only' 'as i ndicated" in the: accorn panyingclaiin's; I I V I aving thus described my I invention, what Ivclann as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

, 1. 'Meansfor maintaining a uniforrn quanv tityiof oil in thecrankeaseof anlautomobile it! comprising an oil supplytank, alc'onnecti'on from said tankto the crank case,fla valve for controlling said connectionjfa float for controlling saidfvalve, a chamber for said float having coi'nir'uinication with the crank case whereby' 'the float may be' op eratedaecording to the oil "in the crankcase, a second float. ichainber having communication with the crank case, [a] float in said chamber, an airpipe connecting the supply tank and the second floatcharnb'er, anda valvec'ontrolled by 'thefloat in the second float chamben-for controlling-the passage of air through said airpip'e. f v j" 2. Meansfor maintainingabodybf liquid constant in "volume, comprising an auxiliary supply. a connection betwe'enusaid body of liquid. and "said auxiliary supply,a float valve] operatedby said body of liquid for controlling the addition of liquidto the body from the, {auxiliary supply, means for admittingYainto said auxiliaryfsuppily' to permit-the same to 'fiowout and-a secon float valve operated by said bodyof liquid for controlling said air-admitting means. 3 3. Means for'niaintaining-a uniform quantrolled passage ton-oil between said tank and 'tity'ofjoil in the crank case of a motor comprising an auxiliary oil tank, a 'float-controlledapassage for'o'il between said tank and I of the crankcase, and a float-conone 3 611 to-v break the Vacuum in said auxiliary oil tank.

pM'ean's-for maintaining a uniform supply of oil in the base of a motor comprising an auxiliary oil tank,; a passage forming commuhieation'between the'bot'tom' of said 0nd passage forming communication be tween the top of'said 'tankjand the'opposite v end of said base, and a float operable 'by'the 'oil insaid 'basefor controlling'the fliow of air into said tank, adapted to 'breakthe; vacuum in said auxiliary oil 'tankgf I 5. Means for; maintaining a' unifbr'misup:

] ply of oil in thegbas'e ofa' motor'c'or'n n-ising an] auxiliary foil tank, a" passage forming communication between the bolttbm of said tank and oneend ofsai'd-base,afloat-open able "by the oil". in" saidbase for 'controllin' theflow'of'oilthrough said passage, 'a'seoon passage forming an air conumunieation between the top of said 'tankiand'the opposite end of said base, 'a' float operable by the'oil 'in' said basefor' controlling'the flow of "air into said tank, and a' check valve'yat the tank end of the passage which forms com I munication with thejto' "ofthe tank'for I preventing the How of oil into said? passage.

I 6;, Means formaintaining 'a uniform quan- 3 tityof oil in the crankcase o'f a comprising'an' ,auxili'ary 'oil' 'tank,'--a' fioatconone end of the crank case, a float-controlled passage for airbetween said tank and the other end of thecrank' casefor maintaining a substantially uniform amount of 'oil' in I" "1-10 the crank c a'se', and ni'eans for preventing oil ifrom enteringsald airpassage from said tank.

3 7. 'Meansjfoi maintaining -a.-nniform q an, tity oil'in thecrank 'caseof a motor comprising an auxiliary oi-lfltank, a float-controlled passage for goil" between -*"said tank and one end ofthecra'n'kca'se", afloat-con- I trolled passage for air between, saidvtan'k and th'exother end o f't he' era'nk'case' 'for maintaining a substantially uniform amount of oil in the crank case; l

8; In a lubricating system for maintaining ajuniformouantity Of-oili'ixith crank Gas er a motor, an auxiliary oilj-tanky'a float-controlled passagebetween said auxiliary oil tank jand' said, crank c'asefforadmitting'oil intothe crankcase, a sight glass in said tank, and ashield for said sight glass for preventing breakage of the glass by the 1 oil surgingag'ainst the same; 9 I

9. In a lubricating system for maintain- 'glass for preventing breakage of the glass ing a uniform quantity of oil in the crank by the oil surging against the same, said ease of a motor; an auxiliary oil tank, a shield comprising a plate having an opening 10 float-controlled passage between said auxthrough its lower portion for permitting 5 iliary oil tank and said crank case for adoil to reach the glass; mitting oil into the crank case, a sight glass In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. in said tank, and a shield for said sight EUGENE A. ROGERS. 

